May 17th will mark the 100th day of the Guantanamo Bay detention center detainees hunger strike. We invite you and your congregation to mark this day with a “100th Day Weekend of Action.” Please find a time during the weekend of May 17-19 to include mention of Guantanamo in your worship service or prayers. We also invite you to hold a prayer vigil, fast in solidarity, or organize educational and advocacy activities in your congregation. Resources at http://www.nrcat.org/CloseGitmo

Let us know how you’ll participate and please share. Photos welcome. You can make a sign that says #CloseGitmo or similar

Solitary confinement has a variety of labels including isolation, segregation (“seg”), “the hole”, and many more. Regardless of the label, the conditions share common features. Prisoners are held by themselves in small cells for up to 23 hours per day and exercise alone for the remaining hour. Some prisoners have been held for months, years, even decades, in these isolated conditions and have experienced long-term mental harm as a result. Many studies have documented the detrimental psychological effects of solitary confinement, such as hallucinations, paranoia, and panic attacks. The term ‘prolonged solitary confinement’ is equated to torture at the point when the use of solitary confinement results in severe mental or physical pain or suffering.

The United States is a world leader in holding prisoners in prolonged solitary confinement. There are 44 state-run super-max prisons and one federal super-max prison — each of which holds inmates exclusively in solitary confinement. At least 80,000 people in the U.S. criminal justice system are held in solitary confinement on any given day. From 1995 to 2000, the growth rate of segregation units significantly surpassed the prison growth rate overall: 40% compared to 28%. Some argue that the use of solitary confinement is a necessary management tool used for only the “worst of the worst”. However, prisoners sometimes end up in solitary confinement or are unable to move out of isolation due to non-violent prison rule infractions. This is especially the case for mentally-ill prisoners.

Prolonged solitary confinement destroys prisoners’ minds, denies the opportunity for community, and violates the inherent dignity and worth of every person. It is a moral imperative to end this practice.